Lakhs spent, but no relief: Trivandrum's Shankhumugham beach faces vendor chaos and neglect

Thiruvananthapuram: Despite spending lakhs on beautification, the discomfort faced by visitors at Shankhumugham beach continues unabated. The influx of vendors and their illegal encroachments have made it difficult for visitors to enjoy the beach. Resting areas and other sheds, which were built for visitors, have been seized by the vendors. As a result, visitors are unable to access the beach, especially during peak hours in the evenings when the crowd becomes overwhelming, and vendors occupy spaces without any regulation.

At the same time, buildings constructed at the cost of crores are deteriorating unused. Authorities appear more interested in allowing vendors to continue their illegal activities, allegedly backed by some local prominent figures.

Over the years, large sums of money have been spent to attract visitors and relocate vendors. However, many permanent vendors have moved away from designated spaces and illegally taken over other areas for their businesses. Several of these vendors operate without proper documents. Children are often used by vendors to run businesses, and the number of vendors continues to grow daily. The corporation has failed to control the vendors or relocate them to other areas. Moreover, the corporation’s regulation that one person can operate only one shop has not been enforced.

Currently, local residents complain that some individuals have more than one shop in the area. Some even rent out spaces to out-of-state vendors. Both the corporation and the police have failed to take action against illegal vendors or conduct security checks.

According to the District Tourism Promotion Council’s (DTPC) records, there are 90 vendors currently operating at Shankhumugham. However, unofficial figures suggest that the total number of vendors, including those from other states, has reached around 140.

In a major lapse, many buildings constructed for relocating vendors remain unopened. Six shops that were built in 2011 for the vendors have still not been opened, despite the inauguration years ago. As the authorities have failed to relocate roadside vendors, the much-anticipated beautification project under the Smart City initiative at Shankhumugham remains incomplete.

Due to the overcrowding and the unregulated market, visitors have begun to seek out new beach destinations. The once-popular Shankhumughham beach is now overshadowed by quieter beaches, such as Vettucaud and Thumba, which are increasingly drawing the attention of tourists.